


Nothing feels like London rain

by hobbeshalftail3469



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: First Kiss, London in the heatwave, how blissful it feels when it rains on hot concrete in the city, it really has been very hot in Britain!, melting in the office, the effect of cold and wet on ladies!, wet shirts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-21 07:28:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15552666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobbeshalftail3469/pseuds/hobbeshalftail3469
Summary: Inspired by the recent heatwave in the UK, I'm imagining how boiling it will have been in their offices and how they will have tried to cool down. On the way back from a stakeout there is a downpour.Listen to the song London Rain by Heather Nova





	Nothing feels like London rain

The heat was all consuming. Every pore of Robin's body was sweating even though she was clad only in a cotton, strappy jumpsuit and sandals.  
The weather had been the main topic of conversation on the news for the past month and a half and showed no sign of changing - and much as the Brits love to moan about the weather when it is bad, they are also happy to chip in when it is glorious.  
Robin was happy to have left the sauna conditions of the tube and walked along carrying 2 iced smoothies rather than the usual coffees she took into the office each day.   
As she mounted the stairs she could feel the heat increasing with each floor; God knows how hot it must be up in Strike's flat she thought.

Strike tried to dry himself after his shower, but it was a thankless task - the water from his cooling deluge just turned to sweat and he gave up on most of his body, just paid attention to his leg so that he could attach his prosthesis without it chaffing and blistering. He threw on another of the new short sleeved shirts he'd resorted to which clung to his still damp skin, becoming slightly transparent. He left putting on his trousers as late as possible; he stood in front of the oscillating fan which was doing an excellent job of circulating hot air to try to dry off his clammy legs before he had to slide them into the fabric. He smiled to himself as he moved across to the fridge where he'd placed them the night before and made a throaty, "ooooaaaahhh" sound as the cold material came into contact with his skin.  
"I am a genius!" he stated aloud, wriggling his arse slightly to gain as much benefit from the sensation as possible.

He felt a minimal drop in the temperature as he made his way down to the office, opening the door he immediately opened all of the windows as far as they would go and set the 3 fans going - as in his own flat they made little difference, but he dreaded to imagine how hot the place would be without them.  
He'd just sat down at his desk when Robin arrived, shouting her usual "Morning!" greeting.  
She put her bag on the rack - neither had hung a coat on it in weeks and went through to Strike's office.  
He noted with alarm that she was yet again rather scantily clad; the pale,coral colour of her trouser suit thing (it probably had a specific name, but he hadn't a clue!) brought out the freckles on her nose and shoulders where she'd caught the sun. She passed over the Matcha tea smoothie and noted his pleased looking face despite the 1000 degree heat.  
"Why so pleased this sweltering morning?" Robin asked, wiping the sweaty glow from her forehead and taking a slurp of her mango smoothie, glorying in the icy liquid trickling down her throat.  
"Pants in the fridge....it's the future!" Strike replied, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.  
Robin glanced down and hastily shook her eyes away from imagining his legs inside a pair of very cold pants......it was a weirdly erotic thought!  
"Better get to it," she swallowed and indicated her office, backing up with her smoothie.  
Strike nodded and began to shuffle papers across his desk, trying to dislodge the thought that he knew he would be preoccupied with all morning - namely whether Robin could theoretically be wearing a bra below her outfit.

He popped out into the kitchen area several times for reconnaissance - he was a detective! - there were no visible bra straps, the garment itself had really thin type straps to it, but nothing seemed to be jiggling about for want of a better phrase - he'd noticed that when she brought the post through later in the morning - he'd also been slightly disappointed!  
Robin seemed immune to his dilemma and concentrated on not melting into a puddle as the temperature soared over 100 degrees again!  
Each time she saw Cormoran his appearance was more dishevelled and rumpled, his white shirt clung to his back and his hair was literally drenched at the nape of his neck.  
At lunchtime he suggested they go for a drink just to get out of the sweltering heat of the office at the hottest part of the day - they'd done this a lot recently.  
As they sauntered (anything more strenuous was out of the question) towards the Tottenham she noticed that Cormoran's eyes kept glancing at her cleavage - and flattering though it was for him to have noticed her boobs it was slightly out of character for him.  
Drinks purchased and table found she couldn't stop herself;  
"Is the heat making you horny?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye, she caught his slightly baffled and guilty look.  
"What's so fascinating about my boobs today?" she asked, glugging down a large gulp her icy cold lager.  
Strike followed suit, draining about half of his drink,  
"Ok, cards on the table time.....how the hell are you wearing a bra under that?" he stared openly at her chest, but in a completely non sexual manner - almost like an architect surveying a bridge for stability!  
Robin snorted into her drink and tipped her head back in a joyful laugh,  
"Secret support," she sniggered and pulled a small part of the strap to one side showing a second layer of stretchy fabric below the softer cotton. "Keeps the girls in check," she added, waggling the straps slightly to prove that it held her breasts securely in place.  
Strike stared open mouthed at the undulating movement....no longer an architect but a red blooded male, and he shifted in his seat, taking a second gulp of cooling beer.  
"If you need something to help you out there just remember that there's a band that stops just under them and gathers all the sweat that trickles down.....I'll be able to wring it out later!" she added with her usual lack of girlie pretension.  
Her statement was evidently meant to make him less aroused......yeah, that was gonna happen!

The heat in the pub was possibly even more than it had been in the office and the air felt decidedly sticky and fuggy; as though a storm was brewing. Robin's hair was fastened up in a twisted bun, but even so the nape of her neck was damp. Strike's shirt clung to him and his arms had a sheen of sweat along them, his forehead was permanently covered in sweat which every now and then trickled down his temples - it reminded him of the heat in Afghanistan.   
"Do we really have to go back to work?" Robin asked, feeling like if she moved an inch she'd actually melt.  
Cormoran was no more enthusiastic, "I've got to do surveillance on Cat Bag woman," but he made no actual movement.  
"Couldn't you do that in the Costa?" she suggested.  
"Yeah, s'pose," he grumbled, thinking about how hot and sweaty he'd get walking there.  
"Air con!" Robin pointed out, "Can I come too?" she asked, making a pouty mouth and blowing upwards to try to release the strands of hair slathered to her forehead.  
" 'kay," was his response, whilst secretly admonishing himself for thinking about the possible effects of air conditioning on her secretly supported tits.

Several hours later, surveillance out of the way and a couple of eyebrow raising images snapped on camera they could put off the inevitable no longer and ventured from the cool atmosphere of the coffee shop.  
It was like walking into a laundry that only used 90 degree washes and also had open coals as an additional heating element.  
"Fuuuuuck me!" Strike huffed.  
"God, I think my insides might actually casserole," Robin replied as they made their way towards the tube station.  
Both looked at the other simultaneously, "It's gonna be hotter than hell in there," Strike pointed out.  
"Your leg up for a walk?" Robin enquired.  
He nodded.  
They hadn't gone more than a street when they felt a distinct change in the air and the sky lit up with a flash of lightening, quickly followed by a clash of thunder.  
The first drops of rain started a few moments later just as Robin and Cormoran approached Russell Square.  
"Shit, we're gonna get soaked," Strike yelled as the fat spots of rain began to speed up and reproduce. He made his was towards one of the large trees, but noticed with amusement that Robin did not increase her pace, nor did she aim for the trees; instead she moved into the open grassy area which was now devoid of people.  
"What the hell are you doing?" shouted Strike as the rain bounced up off the concrete.  
Robin stood, open armed, her head slouched back, open mouth filling with rain.  
Cormoran looked at her in wonder, God she was perfect!  
She brought her head back to look at him and removed the clip from her hair, shaking it out and running her fingers through it as he imagined she did in the shower.  
"It's heaven!" she shouted over, "Come on.....you've been sweltering all day.......this is bliss!"  
Strike shook his head at her enthusiasm for something so ridiculous - he held his arm out into the pelting rain and had to concede that it was fucking cooling.  
"Don't tell me your leg'll go rusty!" Robin grinned at him, she was absolutely soaked by now, the rain having the effect that the air con hadn't managed to achieve on her nipples!  
"Are you calling me chicken?" he grinned back and stepped out from the shelter of the trees to join her in the torrent. The rain was actually freezing - not cooling at all, just fucking freezing, and it soaked him through in seconds.......but he did feel the most comfortable he'd felt in weeks.  
Robin couldn't avoid noticing that his hairy chest was completely visible through his soaked shirt....she had a ridiculous image of Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett and giggled uncontrollably.   
"What? You mad Yorkshire woman!" he grinned back at her.  
"Nothing........this is just the perfect way to end the day!" she laughed as she began to walk across the square.  
Cormoran followed....obviously.  
As they giggled and squelched their way towards Denmark Street so that Robin could collect the rest of her belongings Strike couldn't help himself. He clasped Robin's arm and brought her to a stop at the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue.  
"......this is the perfect way to end the day," he whispered, dragging his hand across his face and through his dripping hair, then he leaned down and pressed his lips against Robin's. She tasted of rain water, salt and a hint of caramel shortbread, and she returned his kiss as if it were the most natural thing in the world to have happened.  
When they eventually pulled apart, he looked down at her face - mascara panda eyes, hair sticking to her head and pink cheeks were the rain had removed her make up. She was gorgeous.  
"Kairos," he mumbled.  
She gave him a slightly puzzled look, but he just pulled her face to his and kissed her until she was no longer confused.

**Author's Note:**

> This was not supposed to have a first kiss in it....it just happened......just like I hope it would have if any of this was real!!!!


End file.
